Utilities, Health Care Leading ETF Sectors

Here are some investments to get exposure to broad sectors in the economy.

The Utilities Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) is the leading year-to-date performer among the 11 exchange-traded funds that we have been profiling. It's up 8.4% year-to-date, followed by the Health Care Sector SPDR Fund (XLV), up 6.1%. The consumer-related ETFs are the year-to-date laggards shown in today's 'Crunching the Numbers' table.

We crunched the numbers for these ETFs to help you decide if and when to invest. Today's table follows these profiles:

Materials Sector SPDR Fund (XLB) ($47.54, up 2.9% YTD) set an all-time intraday high at $48.26 on March 6 and is above all five key moving averages in today's table. The weekly chart is positive but overbought with its five-week modified moving average at $46.71. Tuesday's close was on a semiannual pivot at $47.54. Quarterly and annual value levels are $45.24 and $43.97 with monthly and weekly risky levels at $48.95 and $49.22.

Industrial Sector SPDR Fund (XLI) ($52.70, up 0.8% YTD) set an all-time intraday high at $53.25 on March 7 and is above all five key moving averages in today's table. The weekly chart will end the week positive given a weekly close above its five-week MMA at $51.77 as the stochastic will be rising from today's flat reading. Semiannual and quarterly value levels are $51.27 and $50.99 with weekly and monthly risky levels at $53.25 and $54.50.

Consumer Discretionary SPDR Fund (XLY) ($65.62, down 1.8% YTD) set an all-time intraday high at $67.85 on March 7 and is below its 21-day simple moving average at $65.95. The weekly chart shifts to negative given a close on Friday below its five-week MMA at $65.39. Semiannual value levels are $65.13 and $63.58 with quarterly and monthly risky levels at $66.98 and $68.02.

Consumer Staples SPDR Fund (XLP) ($42.99, up a penny YTD) set its all-time intraday high at $43.46 on Nov. 18 and is above all five key moving averages in today's table. The weekly chart is positive but overbought with its five-week MMA at $42.44. Monthly and annual value levels are $42.36 and $40.69 with a semiannual pivot at $43.27 and weekly and quarterly risky levels at $43.68 and $44.55.